Tenerife does markets well. Not just as a tourist spectacle but as a genuine part of the week, with vendors who know their customers and stalls that have been in the same spot for years. The south of Tenerife has several worth visiting, and knowing which one to go to, on which day, and what to realistically expect makes the difference between a good morning and a wasted trip.
This guide covers the four main markets within easy reach of Costa Adeje, Playa de las Américas, and Los Cristianos, with exact locations, confirmed days and times, honest descriptions of what you will find, and practical tips for getting the most out of each one.
Monday: Nothing
Tuesday: Los Cristianos market (9am to 2pm)
Wednesday: Night market, Plaza Salytien, Costa Adeje (5pm to 10pm)
Thursday: Fañabé / Costa Adeje market (9am to 2pm) + Adeje old town market (9am to 2pm)
Friday: Nothing in the main resort area
Saturday: Fañabé / Costa Adeje market (9am to 2pm)
Sunday: Los Cristianos market (9am to 2pm)
Contents
- Los Cristianos Market: The Biggest in the South
- Fañabé Market, Costa Adeje: The Most Convenient Resort Market
- Adeje Old Town Market: The Most Authentic
- The Costa Adeje Night Market
- All Four Markets at a Glance
- What to Actually Buy at These Markets
- How to Haggle at Tenerife Markets
- Practical Tips for All Markets
- Frequently Asked Questions
Los Cristianos Market: The Biggest in the South
The Los Cristianos market is the largest and best-known market in the south of Tenerife and the one most visitors head to when they want a proper market experience. It runs twice a week, on Tuesdays and Sundays, from 9am to 2pm, on Avenida Juan Carlos I beside the Arona Gran Hotel and close to Los Tarajales beach.
It is a big, busy, energetic place. Hundreds of stalls spread along the avenue selling a wide range of goods: clothing, footwear, bags and accessories, sunglasses, watches, souvenirs, cosmetics and aloe products, jewellery, fabrics, and a produce section selling fresh fruit, vegetables, Canarian bananas, local honey, and cheeses. The market also has a section with older goods, vinyl records, books, antiques, and general second-hand items that attracts a different kind of shopper from the souvenir end of the market.
The honest note: a significant proportion of the stalls sell counterfeit goods. Designer handbags, branded sunglasses, replica watches, and football kits are available throughout. This is what many people come specifically to browse, and nobody pretends otherwise. The quality of counterfeit goods varies from acceptable to very poor, and this is entirely a matter of personal preference to engage with or ignore. The rest of the market: the fresh produce, the handmade jewellery, the craft stalls, the genuine local items, is entirely worth visiting regardless.
Every source on this market, without exception, mentions pickpockets. The combination of large crowds, distracted shoppers handling bags and goods, and a genuinely busy environment makes it exactly the kind of place opportunistic thieves work. Keep your phone in a front pocket, use a zip-close bag worn across your body rather than over one shoulder, and do not keep a wallet in a back pocket. This is a straightforward precaution rather than a reason to avoid the market.
Sunday attracts significantly more visitors, including day-trippers from other resorts and people who have combined the market with the ferry to La Gomera. The Tuesday market has the same stalls and the same atmosphere with noticeably fewer people. If your week includes a free Tuesday morning, it is the better day to visit.
Los Cristianos Market
| Days | Tuesdays and Sundays |
| Hours | 9am to 2pm. Stalls start packing up from 1pm |
| Location | Avenida Juan Carlos I, 38650 Los Cristianos. Next to the Arona Gran Hotel and close to Los Tarajales beach |
| Getting There | On foot from anywhere in Los Cristianos. Short taxi from Costa Adeje or Las Américas (approximately €10 to €15). Bus Line 467 stops close by |
| Best Time to Arrive | Before 10am for the best selection and manageable crowds. After 11am it gets very busy and hot |
| Payment | Cash. Bring more than you think you need as there are no ATMs at the market itself |
| Size | Largest market in south Tenerife |
Fañabé Market, Costa Adeje: The Most Convenient Resort Market
The Fañabé market, officially the Mercadillo de Costa Adeje, runs every Thursday and Saturday from 9am to 2pm on Avenida de Bruselas in Costa Adeje, between the GF Isabel and GF Gran Costa Adeje hotels, directly opposite El Duque Shopping Centre. It replaced the old Torviscas Market and locals still call it Fañabé Market or Fanabe Market interchangeably with Costa Adeje Market.
Around 100 stalls line the avenue. It is smaller and more manageable than the Los Cristianos market, which is part of its appeal for visitors who find the Los Cristianos experience overwhelming. The mix of goods is similar: clothing, leather goods, handmade jewellery, sunglasses, watches, aloe products, souvenirs, personalised items, and a produce section with Canarian bananas, avocados, tomatoes, local honey, olive oil, and flowers. The counterfeit goods are present but less dominant here than at Los Cristianos.
The location is the main advantage. It is walkable from most hotels in the Costa Adeje and Fañabé area, sits right in the middle of the resort strip, and is easily reached by taxi from Las Américas in five minutes. For visitors staying in the main Costa Adeje resort corridor who want a market experience without making a special trip, this is the natural choice.
The market runs along an open avenue with no natural shade. In summer, the sun is directly overhead by 11am and the heat builds quickly. Going before 10am is strongly advised in July and August. Bring a hat, sunscreen, and water.
Both days have the same stalls and the same hours. TikTok videos from the market suggest Thursday is the better day, with Saturday being noticeably busier. In our experience, Thursday morning before 10:30am is the most relaxed time to visit.
Fañabé Market (Mercadillo de Costa Adeje)
| Days | Thursdays and Saturdays |
| Hours | 9am to 2pm. Vendors start packing up from around 1pm |
| Location | Avenida de Bruselas, 38679 Costa Adeje. Between the GF Isabel and GF Gran Costa Adeje hotels, opposite El Duque Shopping Centre. Search “Mercadillo Costa Adeje” on Google Maps |
| Getting There | Walkable from most Costa Adeje and Fañabé hotels. Short taxi from Las Américas (approximately €5 to €8). Bus routes 416, 417, and 467 stop near the market entrance |
| Best Time to Arrive | 9am to 10:30am for the best selection and to avoid the heat. Arrive earlier in summer |
| Payment | Cash only at most stalls. Bring enough before you go as there is no ATM at the market. Nearest ATM is at El Duque Shopping Centre opposite |
| Parking | Available on Avenida de Bruselas but fills quickly after 10am |
Adeje Old Town Market: The Most Authentic
The Thursday market in Adeje old town is the most local and least tourist-facing of the four on this list. It runs in and around the town centre near Plaza de España in Adeje pueblo, the genuine Canarian town sitting a few kilometres inland from the resort strip, covering fresh produce, local food, plants, clothing, and general goods.
It is a working local market rather than a tourist market. The stalls cater primarily to Adeje residents: fresh fruit and vegetables, bread, local cheeses, honey from the island’s farms, plants, and practical clothing and household items. There are fewer souvenir stalls and almost no counterfeit goods. The atmosphere is quieter, the prices are lower than the resort markets, and the whole experience gives you a genuine sense of Canarian everyday life that the Fañabé and Los Cristianos markets, which are essentially tourist operations with some local produce, cannot offer.
The practical reason to include it here is that it runs on Thursday, the same day as the Fañabé market. Visiting both on a single Thursday gives you two completely different market experiences in one morning. The Adeje old town market makes the natural starting point as it gets going earlier and wraps up earlier, with the Fañabé market as the second stop.
The trailhead for the Barranco del Infierno gorge walk is in Adeje town, a short walk from the market area. A Thursday that starts with the old town market, continues with lunch in one of the town’s simple local restaurants, and finishes with the gorge walk is one of the better full-day itineraries available in the south. Book the gorge walk well in advance at barrancodelinfierno.es.
Adeje Old Town Market
| Day | Thursday |
| Hours | Approximately 8am to 2pm in the town centre area |
| Location | Adeje town centre, near Plaza de España. Search “Adeje pueblo” on Google Maps. Approximately 10 to 15 minutes by taxi from most Costa Adeje hotels |
| Getting There | Taxi from Costa Adeje approximately 10 to 15 minutes and approximately €10 to €15. Bus routes 416, 417, and 473 from Costa Adeje and Los Cristianos serve Adeje town. Walkable throughout once you arrive |
| Best Time to Arrive | Before 11am for the best produce selection |
| Payment | Cash. Local market prices are noticeably lower than the tourist markets |
| Best For | Anyone wanting a genuine local market experience rather than a tourist one. Good for fresh produce and Canarian food products |
The Costa Adeje Night Market
Worth knowing about even if it does not fall into the classic market category. The night market at Plaza Salytien in Costa Adeje runs every Wednesday and Saturday evening from 5pm to 10pm, with artisan crafts, clothing, jewellery, souvenirs, and local products. The evening format makes it a natural combination with dinner on the promenade, and the cooler temperature makes browsing considerably more comfortable than the midday heat at the daytime markets.
Costa Adeje Night Market
| Days | Wednesdays and Saturdays |
| Hours | 5pm to 10pm |
| Location | Plaza Salytien, Costa Adeje. Search “Plaza Salytien Costa Adeje” on Google Maps |
| Best For | Artisan crafts and handmade items. Evening shopping without the midday heat. Combining with dinner on the Costa Adeje promenade |
| Payment | Bring cash. Some stalls accept cards |
All Four Markets at a Glance
| Market | Days | Hours | Best For | Size |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Los Cristianos | Tuesday + Sunday | 9am to 2pm | Widest range, largest selection, best produce section | Largest in the south |
| Fañabé / Costa Adeje | Thursday + Saturday | 9am to 2pm | Most convenient for resort tourists. Good all-round mix | ~100 stalls |
| Adeje Old Town | Thursday | ~8am to 2pm | Most authentic. Fresh local produce and real Canarian atmosphere | Smaller, local |
| Costa Adeje Night Market | Wednesday + Saturday | 5pm to 10pm | Artisan crafts and evening atmosphere. Best for handmade goods | Medium |
What to Actually Buy at These Markets
The honest answer is that most stalls at the tourist-facing markets sell broadly similar things. But there are genuine finds across all of them if you know what to look for.
Local Canarian honey from the produce section: different varietals, genuinely good quality. Handmade jewellery from artisan stalls rather than the main clothing lines. Aloe vera products: Tenerife grows aloe vera commercially and the local products are considerably better than the generic ones. Fresh Canarian bananas from any produce stall, smaller and sweeter than imported supermarket bananas. Local cheese, particularly queso majorero. Personalised items (keyrings, clothing, prints) which are made to order at several stalls.
Counterfeit designer goods are a matter of personal choice but carry a practical risk: Spanish customs have occasionally stopped people re-entering the UK via Spain with large quantities of replica goods. For single personal-use items this is rarely a problem. For a bag full of fake merchandise, less so. Beyond the legal question, quality varies enormously and the cheap watches and bags that look good on the stall often look very different by the third day.
How to Haggle at Tenerife Markets
Haggling is expected and entirely normal at all the tourist-facing markets here. At the Adeje old town market, prices are generally already fair and aggressive bargaining is less appropriate. At Fañabé and Los Cristianos, it is part of the experience.
Ask the price. Offer roughly half. The vendor will counter. Meet somewhere in between and the deal is done. Never accept the first price. It is set with negotiation in mind. Walking away slowly often produces the best counter-offer. Once you have agreed a price and taken the item, the deal is done. Do not try to renegotiate afterwards.
Buying two or three items from the same vendor gives you additional leverage for a combined price. If you like several things from one stall, indicate all of them before starting the negotiation rather than agreeing on one item at a time.
Practical Tips for All Markets
Most stalls at all four markets are cash only. The nearest ATM to the Fañabé market is at El Duque Shopping Centre directly opposite. At Los Cristianos market, the nearest ATMs are back in the town centre. Withdraw cash before you leave your hotel and bring significantly more than you expect to spend.
All the daytime markets are at their best before 11am. The produce section is freshest, the selection is widest, the crowds are thinner, and the heat is manageable. After midday, stalls start to pack up and the combination of heat and crowds makes the experience considerably less enjoyable.
All the daytime markets involve walking on hard surfaces in the sun. Flip-flops are fine at Los Cristianos and Fañabé. Sensible shoes are advisable in Adeje old town where streets are steeper and more uneven. Light, breathable clothing and a hat in summer.
Pickpockets operate at Los Cristianos and Fañabé markets specifically. Use a cross-body bag with a zip, keep your phone in a front pocket, and do not leave a purse or wallet in a back pocket or in an open bag. The markets are safe and enjoyable provided you take these precautions.
For more on getting between the resort areas and Adeje town without a hire car, see our full guide to getting around south Tenerife without a car.
Frequently Asked Questions
What day is the market in Costa Adeje?
The Fañabé market (also called Costa Adeje market or Mercadillo de Costa Adeje) runs every Thursday and Saturday from 9am to 2pm on Avenida de Bruselas, opposite El Duque Shopping Centre. Thursday is generally quieter and the better day to visit.
What day is the market in Los Cristianos?
The Los Cristianos market runs every Tuesday and Sunday from 9am to 2pm on Avenida Juan Carlos I beside the Arona Gran Hotel. Tuesday is considerably quieter than Sunday. The market is the largest in south Tenerife.
What is the Fañabé market?
Fañabé market is the common name for the Mercadillo de Costa Adeje, which runs every Thursday and Saturday from 9am to 2pm on Avenida de Bruselas in Costa Adeje. Around 100 stalls sell clothing, jewellery, leather goods, souvenirs, aloe products, fresh produce, and Canarian food. It replaced the old Torviscas Market and is the most convenient market for tourists staying in the main Costa Adeje resort area.
Is there a market in Playa de las Américas?
There is no dedicated market in Playa de las Américas itself. The closest options are the Fañabé / Costa Adeje market (Thursday and Saturday, a short taxi ride away) and the Los Cristianos market (Tuesday and Sunday). Both are easily reached from Las Américas by taxi in five to ten minutes.
What can you buy at the Los Cristianos and Costa Adeje markets?
Clothing, footwear, bags, sunglasses, watches, jewellery, cosmetics, aloe products, souvenirs, fresh fruit and vegetables, Canarian bananas, local honey, cheese, olive oil, and flowers. A proportion of the clothing and accessory stalls sell counterfeit branded goods. The produce sections sell genuinely good local food at fair prices.
Is haggling expected at Tenerife markets?
Yes at the tourist-facing markets (Fañabé and Los Cristianos). Offer around half the asking price and negotiate from there. Never accept the first price. At the Adeje old town market, prices are generally fair and heavy haggling is less customary.
Are the markets in south Tenerife safe?
Yes, but be aware of pickpockets at the Los Cristianos and Fañabé markets specifically. Use a cross-body bag with a zip, keep your phone in a front pocket, and do not leave a wallet in a back pocket. These precautions make the risk negligible.
Is there a market on Sundays in south Tenerife?
Yes. The Los Cristianos market runs every Sunday from 9am to 2pm on Avenida Juan Carlos I. It is the largest market in the south and the most popular day for it is Sunday, though Tuesday is considerably quieter for the same experience.
Market days and hours are subject to occasional change, particularly around public holidays. Always verify current information before making a special trip. All prices are in euros and most stalls are cash only.